The Oracle
by bettablocker
Summary: It was her curse to be extraordinary. She was no shinobi. Her simple wish was to live in peace with her family, but fate had other plans for her. Her gift was both revered and feared, since it could be utilized for evil just as well as it could for good. As word spread, a certain dark Sannin realized that she was what he had been craving, and it was his destiny to devour her. NSFW.
1. I Awakening

**First off, thank you so much for reading my work. I'm no stranger to writing, but this is my first time publishing on this site so I hope this story is received well. It isn't necessarily going to be a nice, feel-good read - it's the dark, tragic choronical of an innocent girl thrown head first into the darkest of evil. There will be explicit language, torture, rape, and other unsavory topics, just giving you fair warning. But darkness cannot exist without light, so it won't be entirely depressing.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own or have any affiliation with the world of Naruto or any of it's characters, but the OC is my creation.**

I. Awakening

The spring sunlight felt pleasantly warm against Kanon's skin as she basked in it, her small form nearly lost in the tall grass she lay in. The air smelled rich, the nearby woods combined with the crisp scent of the grass forming a heady odor. It was almost intoxicating, and she had long since lost track of how long she had been staring up at the clouds.

Her pale blue eyes were glazed over and unblinking as she gazed skywards, the dark shadows beneath them a testament to the physical and emotional fatigue she carried that was far greater than a girl of seven years should carry. She had had another one of her fits last night – the aching pressure of a migraine serving as a reminder.

After awakening in the early hours of dawn from what one could hardly call a nightmare, Kanon had come to the meadow for some peace. It was nearly noon and she hadn't moved, but her mother and father never said anything about her comings and goings. Her malady was their family's best kept secret, and the most scolding she ever got was for getting leaves tangled in her hair or maybe a sunburn if she dozed off, since her skin was like alabaster. No, her parents adored her immensely, and she them. She wouldn't give up her simple, love-filled life for the world.

"Kanon."

Her father's voice shook her out of her reverie, and she sat up immediately to look up at him with wide eyes. Something was wrong – that much was apparent, with the uneven, shaky tone of his voice. "Otosan?" Her voice came out as barely a whisper, terrified as she took in his fretful, worry-creased face. The situation felt hauntingly familiar, as if she had dreamed it.

"Come quickly," her father said, beckoning frantically for her to follow. "It's time."

Kanon scrambled to her feet, the ache in her temples becoming a throbbing pain. "Is okasan ok?" she asked, trying to keep up with his long strides as they made their way back to the family cottage.

His face was like stone. "Just come quickly."

Something was wrong. Most definitely wrong.

Latching onto his hand, Kanon's father halfway dragged her through the thresh way of their home, her heart seizing up as she detected the low, pained moans of her mother even before they had stepped onto the porch. They wasted no time as they followed the sounds of agony to the source – her mother was in the bedroom, hunched over as much as her swollen stomach allowed as Kanon's grandmother, serving as the midwife, urgently tried to coach her into the proper birthing position.

Her mother looked up as Kanon entered the room, and though her skin shone with cold perspiration she attempted to relax her beautiful features were twisted with pain into a smile. "Don't look so worried, Kanon-chan," she said, voice gravely and strained. "Everything is alright. Your little brother is just giving me a hard time at the –" Her sentence cut off as she grimaced, gritting her teeth as she tried to swallow another pained wail.

"Kanon," her grandmother called briskly. "Bring me clean towels and a bucket of hot water."

Kanon was scrambling to leave the room as her mother let out a full, blood-curdling shriek that stopped her in her path. She turned around slowly to look at her mother, a patch of crimson slowly soaking the fabric of the sheets between her legs.

"No, no," her mother wailed. "It's too early – this shouldn't be happening for another two –" She broke off in a choked gasp, color draining from her face.

Kanon's father took her roughly by the shoulders, spinning her to face him. "Kanon, I need you to go to the village and find the doctor – any doctor. As fast as you can," he told her, voice cracking. "Can you do that?"

With a jerky nod, Kanon stumbled from the room, falling to her knees as her foot caught on the door jam. She scrambled to her feet and flew from her home as fast as her legs could carry her, ignoring the sharp rocks and other objects impaling the bare soles of her feet as she set off towards the village.

It was a Tuesday, so there was no shortage of people in the village center, milling about perusing the market stands. "Doctor!" Kanon shrieked as loudly as she could, disturbing the otherwise peaceful atmosphere. "My okasan – she needs a doctor!"

Her vision began to blur as curious bystanders warily approached her, panic setting in as she realized why the situation seemed so familiar. It was suddenly so vividly clear – painfully clear – as she recalled the terrors that had woken her that morning.

She had dreamt of her mother's death.

"Doctor! Is there a doctor?" she cried out, stumbling on weak legs through the marketplace.

A kind-faced old man approached her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "What is wrong, sweet child?"

His eyes grew wide as she whirled to face him, her hand closing around his wrist in a bruising grip. Kanon's eyes were no longer their normal soft baby-blue, but rolled back into her head, bloodshot. Her skin was as close to true white as humanly possible, and her body convulsed as she collapsed onto the dirt.

"Death."

 *****Author's Note*****

 **I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but this beginning is an integral part of Kanon's arc and development. There will definitely be more to come, and I won't skimp on the gruesome details so be warned. This story is not for the faint of heart, but I hope you enjoy!**

 **Thank you again!**

 **-bettablocker**


	2. II Bird in a Cage

**Alright, welcome to the second installation of** **Oracle** **! This chapter brings the story up to present time, and introduces us to what was once an innocent little girl named Kanon. The events** **occurring** **between the first chapter and this will fill in as we go, but for now thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, only my OC.**

II. Bird in a Cage

The doors to the hospital opened at a curiously late hour of the night, a figure shroud in black and gray stepping through them silently. His body was lean and distinctly male, with a catlike mask obscuring his face. He approached the front desk, where a meek, incredibly young looking secretary gawked at him with wide eyes.

"A-a member of the Anbu black ops?" she stammered. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm here to request the audience of Chiaki Izumi," the man replied smoothly. "She is the most senior medic nin in the facility, correct?"

"Yes, yes she is," the woman replied, immediately grabbing for the telephone. "I'll page her at once."

The man wasn't kept waiting for long – within five minutes he was greeted by a middle-aged woman with mousy brown hair donning a lab coat. "What brings a member of the Anbu black ops to my hospital?" she asked, eyeing him warily.

"I come here on orders," he said, extracting a scroll from the pocket of his flak jacket, which he offered to her. "I've been sent to check up on the status and wellbeing of one of your…more unique patients."

Doctor Izumi skimmed the contents of the scroll, skepticism leaving her features as she drew her mouth into a firm line. "Of course," she murmured, returning the scroll. "Follow me."

"We keep the psychiatric ward in the basement," the medic nin explained as the lift's doors groaned open. "The patients are better off down here – it's more isolated, and outside exposure tends to upset them."

The Anbu member followed Izumi down the eerie hallway, the concrete walls echoing with a myriad of sounds. He glanced through the small window on the door of one of the rooms. It appeared to be empty, but the patient chart and clutter inside the small, darkened room indicated otherwise. He leaned in closer, and was suddenly greeted with a manically grinning face, bandaged hands landing against the window with a resonating _smack_.

He looked to the doctor. "Why are his hands bandaged?"

"Oh, that's Inuzuka Gorou," she said, backtracking to the patient in question. "He tried to strengthen his connection with his fighting companions by isolating himself in the wilderness with them. It took almost six months to find him, and when they did he was deep in psychosis – he had killed three of his own dogs as a display of dominance." Izumi crossed her arms. "His hands have been bandaged since he scratched out a nurse's eyes two weeks ago. Come on, this way. He in particular becomes problematic when given excess attention."

He could hear Inuzuka Gorou barking, his swaddled-up hands pounding against the window as they left.

The two reached another set of elevator doors. Izumi swiped a keycard through a scanner, summoning the lift. "We keep the patient you're here to see in a separate area – our maximum-security subbasement." They stepped into the elevator and Izumi extracted a key from the inner pocket of her lab coat, inserting it into the panel and twisting it. There were no buttons for other floors. "This floor is monitored constantly, with two patrolling security guards and two positioned at her cell."

"That sounds more like a prison to me. You dedicated an entire level to one patient?" the Anbu asked as the lift came to a halt, having finished its descent. "Are those measures truly necessary?"

Izumi retrieved the key from the panel, elevator doors sliding open. "We have a team of researchers working almost around he clock, who have dedicated the last decade of their lives to cracking this patient's genetic code," she said evenly, leading him down a hallway lit brightly with fluorescent lights. "And, considering this floor houses one of Konoha's most critical secrets, it is definitely necessary."

After a final turn, they came to a locked door. Izumi typed a four-digit code into a pin pad and pressed her palm to a scanner. The heavy-duty door unlocked with a mechanical sound, and Izumi grasped the handle before turning to the Anbu member.

"Sir, I would like to introduce you to someone we like to call Patient X," she said, a gleam of pride in her eyes as she pushed open the door.

He couldn't help but be surprised as he stepped into the large, brightly lit room. The ceiling was two stories tall, with the two guards Izumi had mentioned patrolling the upper level balcony. The other two were posted in front of a cage-like cell in the middle of the ground floor.

"That's…her?" he asked Izumi, his eyes not leaving the cell's occupant.

She was just a girl – or rather, young woman, who looked to be around seventeen or eighteen years of age, clad in a white tank top and plain white undergarments. The sheets had been stripped away from her bed and tied to the bars in some sort of makeshift hammock, which she swung gently from, clinging to it with her legs and hanging upside down like an acrobat, eyes closed as she ran her fingers through her long, white-blonde hair. She was beautiful.

"She doesn't like to be still – the swaying calms her. That's why we let her keep the sheets up there," Izumi explained to him. "Kanon-chan," she called to the girl. "Why don't you come down from there? You have a visitor."

Her eyes fluttered open, tilting her head to the side as she looked at the Anbu member from her inverted point of view. Suddenly, she grinned. Kanon swung gracefully from the sheets, landing lightly on her feet and crossing to the side of the cage to face him.

"Who are you, Mister?" she asked, her voice soft as she grasped the bars of her cell.

"Hands off the bars, Patient X," one of the guards warned briskly, nodding in satisfaction as she complied immediately. "Don't let her touch you."

The Anbu nodded in acknowledgement. "I cannot tell you my name, Kanon-san, but I can tell you that I'm someone who has a vested concern and interest in you," he told the girl. "Are you happy? Do you feel safe here?"

Kanon inched closer to the bars, her lips curling into a somewhat manic grin. "Can't you see my smile, Mister?" Her voice suddenly dropped to a whisper. "But you probably know that a smile can conceal _so many things_." Despite the guard's previous order, she pressed herself against the bars, gripping them tightly. "Oh they poke me, they prod me, they've stuck needles in my brain, lock me up like a bird in a cage," she hissed, as if it were a chant.

"Kanon, that's enough!" Izumi barked.

"Rattled my bones with jolts and jolts of electricity, again and again. But all in the name of science! Because just because you don't understand something, you're allowed to torture it, right?" Kanon growled. Her arm flashed out, reaching for the Anbu man.

"Shock her!" Izumi ordered the guard.

He complied immediately, performing a few quick hand seals before pressing his palms to the metal bars. Kanon flew back from the bars from the burst of electricity, convulsing on the ground for a moment as her scrambled brain righted itself.

"I am so sorry sir," Izumi said rapidly. "She usually isn't so agitated. We do treat her well, most definitely, but there are certain measures we have to take given her mental –"

" _Mental?_ " Kanon repeated, laughing hysterically as she pulled herself to her feet. "That's what you're calling it now? All of you, with your weak minds that fear what they don't understand. It's a bad joke. You made me this way after all." Her voice rose to a shout as she ran towards the bars to her cell. "I didn't choose this – I'm just –"

She collided head first with the metal bars with a _bang,_ eyes sliding shut as she fell backwards, knocking herself out cold.

Izumi looked down at the girl. "She's so young…and so tragic," she said with a sigh. "Come, we'll speak elsewhere."

There was a moment of tense silence, and the doctor and the Anbu made their exit through the door they entered from. "Well, that's that," she said stiffly. "Any questions?"

"I wasn't sent here on a house call, doctor. You probably knew that the second I entered your hospital," the Anbu said quietly. "There are rumors, rumors that a very select few of the Anbu have the privilege of knowing. Rumors that she possesses the power of foresight."

Izumi paused before the elevator, hand hovering over the 'call' button. "Yes, the rumors are true." She turned to face the man, her expression unreadable. "As I have said, sir, that girl in there is Konoha's deepest and perhaps darkest secret. She wasn't wrong to say we don't understand her. We're nowhere near being able to harness her gift – we don't even know what causes the visions. I'm positive that even she doesn't even understand her abilities. The only thing we can safely do is continue to monitor her and keep her hidden."

She summoned the elevator, casting one last look over her shoulder as the doors slid open. "Forgive me, since I know I have no place to ask this of you, sir, but there are a few details that I wish you to withhold from your report," Doctor Izumi said, staring straight ahead as she inserted the key into its slot. "I trust you know what those details are."

The Anbu shinobi smirked beneath his mask. "I believe I do, Doctor Izumi," he replied in a quiet, dutiful tone.

" _I believe I do_."

 *****Author's Note*****

 **I do apologize again for the slow pace, but the next few chapters will definitely pick up a bit. It's been about ten years, and Kanon grew up to be a bit twisted upstairs, hasn't she? The doctors can't figure her out, but they can't exactly let her leave, so why not just leave her locked up like some sort of zoo animal? Because that's always a good idea. Anyways, thank you for reading and brace yourself for some more graphic themes coming up shortly.**


	3. III Following the Siren's Song

**Welcome back readers, to another exciting chapter of Kanon's chronical! There's a little bit of mild violence in here as well as some explicit language, so be warned. Not too bad though, the worst is definitely to come. I attempted to utilize a more experimental writing style in this chapter, to capture two points of view, both of which are happening simultaneously. I hope it isn't too weird or choppy, but it's never a bad thing to try new things. Anyways, enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, only my beloved OCs.**

III. Following the Siren's Song

 _"_ _I take it the infiltration was a success."_

 _"_ _Yes, it couldn't have gone smoother in my dreams."_

 _"_ _Then you were able to see her?"_

 _"_ _I didn't just see her; I was allowed a short conversation. If there are gods, then they were on my side. You'll take great pleasure in her, my lord. In both body and mind."_

 _"_ _I see…can you get her for me?"_

 _"_ _Security is tight, and I'll have to get my hands fairly dirty but I can't see why not. She is unhappy with her current arrangements, so I doubt she'll resist or put up a fuss."_

 _"_ _Excellent…when will my prize be delivered to me?"_

 _"_ _I'll have her at the base tomorrow night, packaged up nice and neat with a bow. Just for you, Lord Orochimaru."_

 _"_ _That's music to my ears, Kabuto-san."_

Back and forth.

Back and forth.

That was her life – there was no stopping the back and forth.

Kanon reclined lazily in her hammock, one of her feet dangling as she swung like a perpetual pendulum. There was an ache in her stomach; hunger. She had gotten used to that feeling, since the guards seemed to enjoy 'forgetting' to serve her meals when she misbehaved or otherwise annoyed them. She was quite accustomed to going without food, sometimes for days if they were particularly spiteful of her.

Her headache was especially fierce tonight, she credited the constant throbbing from her little stunt the night before when she had bashed her face into the bars of her cage. She could have a concussion, but didn't bring attention to it. She knew better than to expect medical treatment from her watchdogs. But, like the hunger, headaches had become a norm for her, and she had had one almost constantly since early childhood. Since the fits had begun, which is what landed her in this 'medical facility' for the past ten years. One couldn't help but feel a little angry, not to mention self-loathing.

A curse such as hers breeds those feelings.

 _The man in the Anbu uniform made another appearance at the hospital, at nearly the exact same time as he had he night prior. The same, neurotic receptionist was stationed at the front desk._

 _"_ _We didn't expect you back so soon," she said nervously. "What can I do for you?"_

 _"_ _Just a follow-up from yesterday," he replied, leaning against the desk nonchalantly. "How rude of me, I never caught your name last night."_

 _The girl blushed fiercely. "Oh, um, Nana…Fujita Nana," she smiled shyly up at him, his face still shielded by the customary Anbu mask. "I suppose you can't give me your name…Anbu rules, right?"_

 _"_ _Maybe someday, Nana-chan," he purred. "Can you page Doctor Chiaki for me, please?"_

 _"_ _Certainly, Anbu-san."_

Kanon's life wasn't supposed to turn out this way. Nobody had the right to take a scared young girl and turn them into a science experiment, locking them up in a cage and letting them out only for their own convenience. Her entire existence had shrunk down to a three-meter by three-meter cage, which was now barren since they had relieved her of her bed earlier that day when she 'embarrassed' the doctor in front of the Anbu black ops member.

Kanon couldn't recall the color of the sky anymore, nor the scent of the meadow she had loved so much as a child. The way the breeze felt as it caressed her face and ruffled her hair… She used to ask questions about her family, wonder if her mother had lived or if her father was doing well. Izumi-san had been oh-so gentle as she encouraged her to preoccupy her thoughts with other things – that if she was a good girl and did what she was told they would arrange for her to see her family again. All false promises of course, but so much time had passed that Kanon was certain she wouldn't recognize them, nor would they her.

Come to think of it, why would they even want to see her? The creature that had lived in cage, underground for a decade, was hardly the little girl they once knew and loved.

She was a new animal now.

 _"_ _Sir, I really don't understand why it's necessary for you to return so soon," Doctor Izumi said, knitting her brow. "And we've decided that it isn't in the best interest for Patient X to have visitors, considering –"_

 _"_ _There's no need to fret, Doctor Chiaki," the Anbu interrupted, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder. "I don't need to see her, I'm here simply to speak with you. Is there a place we can talk, undisturbed? It's of great importance that nobody overhears us."_

 _Izumi nodded. "Yes, of course. There's a patient treatment room down in the psychiatric ward. Staff rarely go down there, so it's the safest option."_

 _"_ _Alright then, lead the way, Doctor."_

"How's it hanging, beautiful?"

Kanon's constant headache spiked upon hearing the voice of her least favorite guard; Daisuke. He was the youngest in the rotation, and by far the most irritating. He was the only one besides the doctor that spoke to her, which would have been nice if he wasn't so sadistic and taunting towards her. She pointedly gave him no response, opting to stare at the ceiling instead.

"Oh, don't be like that," he said good-naturedly, although Kanon could picture the shit-eating grin on his face. "Come on down from there."

Rolling her eyes, she pulled herself upwards and sat on her hammock like a swing. "What if I like it up here?" she asked him, eyes gleaming with mischief.

Daisuke's lip curled. "That was an order, _Patient X_ ," he growled. "Don't forget who's in charge here."

Kanon looked down at him unblinkingly, biting down on the inside of her cheek to hold back a remark that would undoubtedly bring her unnecessary pain, choosing to smirk instead. Tasting the metallic tang of her blood, she gripped the sheet tightly and allowed herself to fall backwards, swinging easily to the concrete floor of her prison and landing with a small flourish. "Better?" she asked with a laugh, skipping over to the bars.

"Well, look at you," he said with a chuckle, eyes sweeping over her body.

She laughed, hands curling around the bars as she pressed herself against them.

"Now, now sweetness, you know the rules," Daisuke scolded. "Hands off the bars."

Kanon looked at him with wide eyes, trying to feign innocence despite the smile tugging at her lips. "What? These bars, right here?"

"Yep, those bars."

Giggling, Kanon pressed herself further against the bars, locking eyes with the young guard as she dragged her tongue up one of the bars. "Don't be so dull, Daisuke-kun. I'm already bored in here." She pouted. "The other guard doesn't come back from his break for at least fifteen minutes. Why don't you play with me?"

She slid an arm between the bars, a Cheshire grin spreading across her lips as she beckoned to him with a finger. Daisuke chuckled, glancing around briefly before shrugging out of his flak jacket. "You're way too much trouble, you know that, right?"

 _"_ _So, what is it you need to talk about? I could only assume that it has something to do with Kanon."_

 _Izumi closed the door to the treatment room behind the Anbu member, which was just as isolated as she had promised._

 _"_ _You're correct," he replied, facing her. "I apologize if this inconveniences you, but I'm in need of a few resources that only you can provide…"_

 _The medic nin crossed her arms. "If you need to look at any files or research materials we've collected over the years, I will permit that. Just know that you cannot remove them from the premises."_

 _The man chuckled lightly. "Actually, everything I need is right here in this room."_

 _Izumi furrowed her brow. "What do you –"_

 _She was silenced with a swift blow to the face, delicate nasal bones crunching under his fist. With a choked gasp, the woman was thrown to the ground, air leaving her lungs in wheezing breaths. He crouched beside her, gripping the lanyard around her neck holding her keycard. The cord snapped as he tugged on it, and he laughed darkly._

 _"_ _Now, the elevator key," he asked lightly, pocketing the keycard. "Won't you just give it to me? Or will I have to frisk you?"_

 _"_ _What are you doing?" Izumi choked, blood gushing from her nose as she cowered in the shadow of the masked man. "You're a…you're a –"_

 _"_ _A highly respected and esteemed member of the Anbu black ops?" Her attacker chuckled. "No, not so much. But I can be just as lethal." He dipped his hand in the pocket of her lab coat, extracting the elevator key. "Thank you so much, Doctor. You've truly been a great help – but there's one more favor I need from you."_

 _Gingerly clutching her broken nose, the woman looked up at him with horror in her glistening eyes._

 _The dim florescent light shone on the wicked blade of a kunai knife. "I'm going to need your hand to get into the subbasement."_

 _"_ _Ok, ok I'll help you!" she stammered. "Anything you need, I'll do!"_

 _He grabbed her hand, yanking it away from her face, pressing the blade to her wrist. "Excellent! I do love a willing participant."_

 _"_ _What are you – no, no!"_

"I have to say, sweetness; I never thought I'd actually get to this point," Daisuke said with a smirk, gently stroking his hand down Kanon's face, brushing over her jawline and down her throat, reveling in the smoothness of her fair skin. "Maybe I'm becoming as crazy as you…"

Kanon slid an arm between the bars, hooking it around the back of the guard's neck and drawing him closer. "Crazy, am I?" she said softly, her lips so close that he could almost feel them against his skin. "I bet you won't come in here and say that to my face."

He chuckled. "Maybe not…but I could be motivated to do such a thing, if you promise to be a good girl."

"For you? I'll be the best girl you've ever had," she whispered, closing the distance between their lips.

The kiss was soft and sweet at first, Kanon weaving her fingers through his hair. This was uncharted territory for her, so she acted purely on instinct as the man grew hungrier, arms hooking around her waist through the bars. After a moment, she let her instinct lead her in another direction.

" _Fuck!_ "

Daisuke shoved her away, pressing his fingers against his now bleeding mouth. Red glistened on Kanon's lips as she looked up at him innocently, returning to her place by the bars. "What's wrong, Daisuke-san? Was I a bad girl?" she asked, her lips curling into a grin.

"You fucking bitch!" he roared, his hands shaking with rage as they began to form the series of seals she knew all too well.

As the mind-numbing shock rattled every bone in her body, Kanon couldn't help but feel with satisfaction that the bit of fun was worth it. She managed to choke out a single, mirthful laugh before her eyes rolled back into her head, bones turning to jelly as she crumpled to the ground in a heap.

She was going to be in so much trouble.

 *****Author's Note*****

 **Alright, and that's that! I had a little bit of difficulty constructing this chapter, since I decided to attempt to employ a more unique writing style to capture both point of views. I hope it didn't seem too awkwardly formatted. Anyways, ever since I decided to incorporate the hand scanner into the subbasement's security levels, I immediately knew I couldn't be happy with this story unless Doctor Izumi's hand came off at some point, which is clearly what our masked man (whom I'm sure most of you know the identity of at this point) intended to use that kunai for.**

 **As for Kanon, at the moment I've been drawing a lot of inspiration from the Suicide Squad's version of Harley Quinn, given how flirtatious she was with the guard, her somewhat sadistic sense of humor, and the way she likes to play nice in order to manipulate and have her fun. More facets of her personality are to come though, as you'll see in the next chapter.**

 **Again, thank you so much for reading, and don't be afraid to comment!**

 **XOXO, bettablocker**


	4. IV Dealing With The Devil

Kanon slowly resurfaced into the waking world, ears ringing and mind wracked with an exceptionally splitting headache. Her senses were dulled from the immense discomfort as she fought her way into consciousness. The first thing she noted was the coldness of metal against her bare skin, and a cold sweat clinging to her skin.

Dragging her eyelids upwards, and Kanon found herself on something that resembled the gurneys back at the hospital. An overhead light bore down fiercely on her. Her vision only spanned about three feet – besides the single light above her, the room was cloaked in shadow.

She wasn't in the hospital anymore; she knew that much.

"Now, look who decided to wake up…" a voice crooned from the shadows, enveloping her like black silk.

A man emerged from the darkness, tall and slender, with skin like alabaster. His hair was a smooth, black curtain, hanging straight as a pin as it reached to brush his lower back. As their eyes met, Kanon felt a sensation much like the shocks she received in the Cage, causing every nerve ending in her body to burn white-hot like a live wire. Fear flooded through her veins – the most paralyzing terror she had ever felt, pinning her down on that table and forbidding her to move or even disconnect herself from his gaze. He had the eyes of a snake, penetrated her in the most intense way; she could feel him prying his way into her mind, reading her thoughts and discovering her weaknesses. His eyes held an amount of knowledge impossibly immense for one to acquire in a single lifetime. It was dizzying – almost intoxicating – to stare so recklessly into those eyes.

"Are you the devil?" Kanon breathed, gazing up at him with some form of wonder.

He chuckled darkly. "Perhaps," he said with a slight hiss, a sinister grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I dare say I've flattered myself with that notion…but most know me as Orochimaru. To you, I'll be _Lord_ Orochimaru."

"Do I belong to you now?" she asked, struggling to push herself into a seated position.

The dark man's smirk widened. "Clever girl," he replied, stepping leisurely as he closed the distance between them. Kanon found herself having to crane her neck upwards to maintain the eye contact. "Yes, you'll be serving me from now on. I have needs for someone with a gift such as your own...you'll be mine."

Orochimaru reached out to her, the skin of his palm cool and smooth as it cupped her cheek. Kanon tried to swallow, but found her throat to be as dry as sandpaper. "Are you going to put me back in the Cage," she asked.

"A cage? No, no…there will be no cage for you." His thumb stroked her face gently. "You're a treasure, Kanon-chan. _My_ treasure."

"How could I be a treasure to you?" she asked, voice wavering. "I'm nothing. Worthless, undesirable, impure, unnatural –"

He knelt swiftly, bringing their faces mere inches apart. She could smell him – the dampness of earth and the forest combined with something ancient, but not unpleasant. "Now, my dear, don't lie to yourself," he scolded her with a broad grin. "You have a gift – a power beyond reckoning. The ability of true foresight is not a common blessing. You will be my most valued possession, and with that comes certain…benefits."

"Benefits?" she repeated, still lost in his eyes.

"Yes, benefits," he said, caressing her face and neck. "You'll be treated like a queen – _my_ queen. So long as you remain cooperative and useful, and I doubt there will be an issue with either of those stipulations."

Kanon felt herself unconsciously leaning into his touch, breathing shakily as she attempted to process this stranger's pretty promises. "I…I don't know how much use I could be to you," she admitted quietly, that fear edging its way back into her core. "I can't control it; I don't know how…not even the lady who kept me in the cage knows how."

"Oh, but my dear, you _do_ know things." He threaded his long fingers through her white-blonde hair, leaning in just a bit more. "Did you not know that you were going to escape last night? I can't imagine any other reason why you would play such a dangerous game with that gullible – now dead – shinobi that was guarding you. Could you not see through the ruse that Anbu member was putting up in the company of Dr. Izumi? And can you not sense my power, are you not captivated by it? Drawn to it?" He chuckled. "It seems as if I know you better than you do, and we've only known one another for a few moments, excluding the extensive lengths I've gone to acquire information about you. If anybody can unlock your true potential, Kanon-chan, it is I."

Kanon licked her lips, noticing the taste of Daisuke's blood lingering in her mouth as she blinked slowly. "Okay…" she said hesitantly. "What do you want me to do?"

"Such a good girl…I knew I'd like you," he said with a grin. "All I ask is for your loyalty and trust. Serve me well and submit to me fully and you will be rewarded."

The electricity running through her veins quickened. "Are you going to hurt people?"

Orochimaru traced her lips with his thumb. "Blood must always be shed for progress to be made," he said matter-of-factly.

She could almost feel her pupils dilating. "Can you kill the good doctor for me, Lord Orochimaru?"

He chuckled, gently pressing his forehead against hers. "She's already dead, Kanon-chan. I had Chiaki Izumi killed last night."


End file.
